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WORLD NEWS Friday 16 OctOber 2020
EU: Brexit trade talks to go on past Thursday deadline

By RAF CASERT were imposed as a final
Associated Press chance to get a deal, only
BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe- to see both sides grudg-
an Union chief negotiator ingly negotiate further af-
Michel Barnier said Brexit terward.
trade negotiations will All acknowledge that little
continue past Thursday's progress was made recent-
deadline set by U.K. Prime ly on the key issues. John-
Minister Boris Johnson, and son's office said that the
could continue into next prime minister in his talks
month. with the two EU leaders "ex-
At an EU summit, the pressed his disappointment
27-country bloc's leaders that more progress had not
came out united to still seek been made over the past
a deal despite the dwin- two weeks."
dling time for agreement. A trade deal has the po-
"The negotiations aren't tential to save hundreds
over," Barnier said. "We shall of thousands of jobs and
remain available until the would avoid worsening the
last possible day." Barnier economic crisis brought on
added that his team would by the coronavirus pan-
be traveling to London for demic.
more talks next week and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives for an EU summit at the European "With COVID-19 having
would host negotiations in Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. such a devastating impact
Brussels the week after that. Associated Press on society and on the econ-
He also insisted that EU ne- omies in the United King-
gotiators "are prepared to fast if any deal still is to get "It is for the U.K. now to outcome of the European dom and across Europe,
speed up negotiations," legislative approval and le- commit itself and there are (Summit) and would reflect obviously I think leaders will
countering a Tweet form gal vetting in the little time far too many areas where before setting out the U.K.'s not want to hit citizens with
his U.K. counterpart David left. things don't progress as next steps." a shock in terms of what a
Frost that said: ""Surprised EU leaders quickly ad- they should," said Dutch Few doubt that Johnson will no-deal would represent, a
EU is no longer committed dressed the issue at the Prime Minister Mark Rutte. lean toward continuing the significant additional shock
to working 'intensively' to opening of their two-day Beyond the call for speed, talks for a few more weeks. to our respective societies
reach a future partnership." summit, and in a statement the leaders were also set to The negotiations remain in and economies," Irish Prime
Barnier said he saw talks they called "on the U.K. to flaunt their unity, something a deep rut over differences Minister Micheal Martin
continuing for "two or three make the necessary moves Britain has failed to dent on the issues of state aid, said.
weeks." to make an agreement during years of talks on the common standards of reg- Overall, the EU says Britain is
Johnson had set the first possible." withdrawal conditions and ulation and fishing rights. trying to retain the advan-
day of the EU summit on Knowing the chances of now on a bare trade deal "Britain has already im- tages of EU membership
Thursday as the deadline a deal are slimmer by the with the new non-member. posed so many deadlines without the commitment to
to get a trade and security day, they also urged all Johnson's office said after that came and went," said play by the bloc's rules. Brit-
deal to replace Britain's EU in the EU to "step up their a video call with EU lead- Rutte, arguing it was time ain says it is baffled it can't
membership that expired work on preparedness and ers Charles Michel and to concentrate on content get a quick deal with gen-
on Jan. 31. A transition pe- readiness at all levels and Ursula von der Leyen that instead. erous free trade conces-
riod is set to end on Jan. 1, for all outcomes, including the prime minister "looked During the Brexit divorce sions like Canada got a few
forcing negotiators to work that of no agreement." forward to hearing the talks several deadlines years ago. q

Rights group suspects Russia, Syria war crimes in Idlib

BEIRUT (AP) — A leading hu- may be implicated in war markets killing hundreds of
man rights group said Thurs- crimes as a matter of com- civilians. The attacks seri-
day that a yearlong military mand responsibility. ously impaired the rights to
campaign by Syrian and The monthslong Russian- health, education, food,
Russian forces that repeat- backed Syrian offensive water, and shelter, trigger-
edly attacked civilian tar- killed and wounded thou- ing mass displacement,
gets in the last rebel strong- sands and displaced near- HRW said. "The repeated
hold in northwestern Syria ly a million people. The of- unlawful attacks appear
constituted apparent war fensive stopped in March, part of a deliberate mili-
crimes and may amount to when Turkey and Russia tary strategy to destroy
crimes against humanity. agreed on a cease-fire. civilian infrastructure and
Human Rights Watch re- Turkey is a main backer of force out the population,
leased a 167-page report Syrian rebels while Russia making it easier for the Syr-
titled "Targeting Life in Idlib," has joined Syrian govern- ian government to retake
in which the group names ment forces in the battles. control," said Kenneth Roth,
10 senior Syrian and Russian HRW said that during the executive director of Hu- In this Feb. 15, 2020, file photo, civilians flee from Idlib toward the
civilian and military officials Syrian campaign in which man Rights Watch. Human north to find safety inside Syria near the border with Turkey.
— including Russian Presi- government forces cap- Rights Watch documented Associated Press
dent Vladimir Putin, Syrian tured scores of villages and 46 air and ground attacks, violation of the laws of war. were only a fraction of the
President Bashar Assad as towns, dozens of "unlaw- including the use of cluster The strikes killed at least 224 total attacks during that
well as defense ministers ful air and ground strikes" munitions, that directly hit or civilians and wounded 561, time in Idlib and surround-
and top generals — who hit hospitals, schools, and damaged civilian targets in HRW said adding that they ing areas. q